Sensory Adaptations in Dental Environments

This lab, led by Sharon Cermak, studies interventions that alters the sensory characteristics of the dental environment in order to decrease children’s physiological anxiety and negative responses during oral care and contribute to increased child comfort as well as safer, more efficient, and less costly dental treatment. If successful, this intervention has the potential to revolutionize clinic-based dental care for the growing population of children with autism spectrum disorder, as well as for typically developing children with dental anxiety and/or sensory over-responsivity.